Tips to Keep Yourself Healthy When You Don't Have the Time

Hey lovelies! Lets talk organisation!

If you're anything like me, then you're constantly juggling a million different balls in the air, frantically hoping they don't come crashing down. The Coronavirus lockdown has certainly highlighted that to me. No matter how organised we are, life does like to throw things into the mix that can shift your entire day (and let's face it...year!) off track. And one of the first casualties can be our health, fitness, and wellbeing, just when we need to be on top of our game!

Because how are you supposed to go to work, do the grocery shopping, look after children and elderly relatives, make time for your partner and make sure you live a happy and healthy life? There just aren't enough hours in the day. But there are ways we can streamline and organise our lives to allow time for wellbeing, so here are some tips for keeping yourself healthy even when it feels like you don't have the time. 

Order Medicine Online

Making doctor's appointments or arranging to see the dentist are two things that you will need to do several times throughout the year, but they can be too easy to miss. Set annual or six monthly reminders in your phone to prompt you to book those routine appointments.

And indeed lockdown has seen GP surgeries embracing technology and allowing us to telephone or video call our appointments with a doctor where appropriate. Yay to no more hours in the waiting room!

Even picking up a prescription can add more minutes to your day than you have to spare. So in the same way I love internet shopping for clothes and groceries as a huge timesaver, it's now possible to order prescriptions and medication with  this online pharmacy and have them delivery conveniently to your door.

Take a Day to Prep Your Meals

Meal prep is a fantastic way to ensure that you eat healthily, don't waste any food in the fridge and resist the temptation of takeaways or fast-food when you're out for the day. Now much as I'd like to take a day to prep meals in bulk and freeze them I often don't have the time, so when I make family favourites like Spaghetti Bolognaise, Chill or Shepherds Pie I almost always make double the quantity and freeze half to have the following week. Take no extra effort and saves so much time

Embrace a Love of Exercise

Part of a healthy lifestyle comes from exercise and fitness, but any working professional knows the dread that comes from forcing yourself to hit the gym after a long day at work. It's not the actual workout as such, but mustering up the will power to go, and you know that once you start your workout, you will enjoy yourself. 

Instead, consider trying small workouts both at the office, at home, or even during your commute if possible. Myself and colleagues worked out if we took the stairs rather than the lift to our 4th floor office 3 or 4 times a day...we climbed the equivalent of Mount Everest every year...honestly! Pre-lockdown I took my gym kit to the office and got changed at work so I could head straight to the gym. Once I'm changed my whole mindset shifts into workout mode, although it does mean I have to walk through the office in my lycra!

Lockdown has meant that I'm working from home much of the week at the moment and so I've been changing into workout gear straight after work and doing a HIIT bodyweight workout in the garage or garden. It's a great stress reliever and signals a clear break between work and home.

Allow Yourself to Talk

While physical wellbeing is something to strive for, so too is mental wellbeing. Allowing negative thoughts and feelings to bubble up inside will only cause significant problems the longer you leave them, so don't be afraid to talk to someone to work your way through such issues. 

This could be a friend, family member, or a professional. Even if you can't find someone to talk to, keeping a journal and writing down how you feel will help you work through any problems, as it makes your feelings more real, and you can start taking steps to improve everything. 

Seek Out a Social Life

A healthy social life is something that many people forget about when it comes to being happy. However, the more people grow up, the less time they spend together. Life gets in the way. They find partners, get married, and they have kids. And all of these responsibilities can mean there isn't enough time for anything else. 

And whilst you don't want to intrude on anyone else's busy life, you also don't want to drift apart. Consider arranging a day every month where you see each other for a few hours, even a zoom call feels more personal than communicating solely via text. Maybe go for a walk with a friend where you can talk and also get those fitness levels up, that's next level multitasking right there! All these things will keep your friendship bond secure.

Keep to a Bedtime

Yes, keeping to a bedtime sounds childlike, doesn't it? It's something you expect from children and the battles that happen in households across the country. However, a regular sleep schedule is just as crucial for adults as it is for children, even if you feel too busy to get to bed at the same time. 

We're all guilty of trying to do-it-all in a day, but this comes at a detriment to our health, leaving us more stressed and with less energy. By keeping to a set bedtime every day, regardless of work, you can get into a groove that allows you to have more energy, which will have a positive impact on all aspects of life. As someone who has suffered from bouts of insomnia, I know how important it is to stick to a routine,

Don't Force Everything

As a busy adult, we all need to force ourselves to do things now and again. It's just something that comes with growing up. However, if you're someone who says Yes to everything you can be in danger of burning yourself out, consider taking a step back and saying No now and again. 

You will never be able to please everybody, but that's okay, so if you are not feeling up to doing something, or your social battery is wholly drained, don't be afraid to take a break. People may ask why, and they may put pressure you into changing your mind, but you don't need to justify your decision not to take part. Take a break once in a while, you will be able to catch up on work, sleep, exercise, or me-time, and you will find that in turn brings you more energy to tackle those busy days.

Healthy and Happy You 

Even if you've planned out your entire week (or even your entire year), there is no guarantee you will be able to stick to the schedule. I looked back at my 2020 New Years post the other day...totally clueless to the upside down life we would be living a few months later. Certainly plan ...but be aware that plans may need adjusting. One of the best life skills we can have is to be adaptable. Even with a busy lifestyle, I hope these tips help you find some pockets of time to keep yourself as happy and healthy as possible!